Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-24

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The graph below gives information about the number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US between 1960 and 2020.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US, 1960-2020

Student answer (Band 5.0)

The line graph illustrates the number of employees in four different sectors in the United States between 1960 to 2020.

Overall, the number of jobs in Manufacturing and Healthcare increased, while the number of jobs of Retail and Agriculture decreased.

To begin, the number of jobs of Healthcare increased steadily reach three million in 1960 to 16 miilion over six decades. The jobs of Retail about three million in 1960 and steadily increased over two decades for 5 million and steadily increased four decades to reach about sixteen million in 2020.

In contrast, the number of jobs in Manufacturing was fifteen million in 1960 and dramatically increased decades to reached 20 million, and steadily decreased over four decades about 13 million in 2020. While, the number of jobs in Agriculture decreased steadily and six million in 1960 to 3 million over the six decades.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response satisfies the main requirements of the task by covering all four sectors and tracing their trajectories from 1960 to 2020. However, there are significant factual inaccuracies in data reporting. For instance, the student states that the number of jobs in Retail and Agriculture decreased in the overall overview, which is incorrect for Retail (which rose from 6 to 16 million). Furthermore, the overview incorrectly groups Manufacturing and Healthcare as both increasing, while Manufacturing actually fell back significantly by 2020. There are also notable data misreadings in the body paragraphs, such as claiming Healthcare reached three million in 1960 (it started at 2 million) and inaccurate figures for Retail. Additionally, the word count is 144 words, falling just short of the 150-word minimum requirement. These errors in data reporting and the under-length penalty limit the score.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has an overall structure comprising an introduction, an overview sentence, and body paragraphs separated by sector trends. However, the logical progression is hindered by repetitive phrasing and weak cohesive devices. The phrase 'To begin' is unnatural for introducing data body paragraphs, and the transitions between sentences feel mechanical ('and steadily increased over two decades... and steadily increased four decades'). Paragraphing is attempted, but the grouping is cramped, with multiple transitions packed into single sentences. Reference words are sometimes ambiguous or missing, leading to choppy reading. While an overarching structure is present, the faulty cohesion and repetitive sequencing place this in the Band 5 category.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary relevant to economic sectors and trends, such as 'employees', 'sector', 'increased steadily', and 'dramatically increased'. However, there are frequent lexical errors and awkward word choices, such as 'reach three million in 1960' (instead of starting at), 'miilion' (spelling error), and awkward phrasing like 'The jobs of Retail about three million'. Less common vocabulary is attempted with limited success and noticeable errors in collocation and preposition use. Spelling slips ('miilion') and imprecise terms prevent the score from reaching a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but grammatical accuracy is weak throughout. There are numerous missing verbs, incorrect prepositions, and faulty clause structures. For example, 'The jobs of Retail about three million in 1960' lacks a verb, and 'dramatically increased decades to reached 20 million' contains severe tense and preposition errors ('to reached'). Sentences like 'While, the number of jobs in Agriculture decreased steadily and six million in 1960 to 3 million' misuse conjunctions and punctuation. Frequent errors in grammar and mechanics cause noticeable difficulty for the reader and impede clear communication at times.

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